“Son of man, pose a riddle; speak a parable to the house of Israel
Parallel translations
- WEB “Son of man, tell a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel;
- KJV Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;
- NKJV “Son of man, pose a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel,
- NASB “Son of man, ask a riddle and present a parable to the house of Israel,
- NLT “Son of man, give this riddle, and tell this story to the people of Israel.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God tells Ezekiel to pose a riddle and parable to rebellious Israel. Vivid imagery is used to pierce dull hearts with truth.
Overview
The 'riddle' and 'parable' engage the imagination so the hearers will wrestle with its meaning. Such figurative teaching both reveals and conceals, rewarding the attentive and humbling the proud. Jesus would later teach in parables for similar reasons (Matthew 13).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Ezek 20:49Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, they are saying of me, ‘Is he not just telling parables?’”
- Matt 13:35So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.”
- 1 Cor 13:12Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
- Matt 13:13–14This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’
- Ezek 24:3Now speak a parable to this rebellious house and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Put the pot on the fire; put it on and pour in the water.
- Hos 12:10I spoke through the prophets and multiplied their visions; I gave parables through the prophets.
- Mark 4:33–34With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them, to the extent that they could understand.
- 2 Sam 12:1–4Then the LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he arrived, he said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.
- Judg 9:8–15One day the trees set out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’
- Judg 14:12–19“Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can solve it for me within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 17:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.